Depending on their quality, skis ("skis" refers to both skis and ski boards) and snowboards can be fairly expensive. Despite this, skis and snowboards are frequently left unattended by their owners. Specifically, ski/snowboard resorts typically have buildings at spaced locations on a hill at which skiers may stop to rest and take refreshment. Skiers and snowboarders remove their skis and snowboards before entering these buildings, and leave their skis and snowboards outside. As a result of skis and snowboards being left unattended, there is an increased possibility of theft.
Prior art devices have been devised to address this problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,461 (Vroom et al) discloses a battery operated motion sensor that is attached to a ski and transmits a radio signal if the ski is moved. A receiver, which can be worn around the neck of the owner of the ski, receives the alarm signal and indicates an alarm condition using, for example, an audible beep. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,322 (Yeski) discloses a battery operated audible signaling device which is activated if a clip is detached. U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,818 (Chittenden) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,689 (Merers et al) disclose battery powered devices mounted on skis that emit alarms in appropriate circumstances.
All of these battery powered devices may suffer from disadvantages associated with the use of a battery. Specifically, batteries are both expensive and require recharging periodically. This can be inconvenient for the owner, and it is not unlikely that owners will deliberately forego the additional expense and inconvenience associated with having batteries mounted on their skis or snowboards, despite the anti-theft advantages battery-powered devices provide. Further, if the skis or snowboards are ever stolen, the battery operated signaling device does not provide a means of tracking the skis or snowboards, and, accordingly, does not allow for eventual recovery of the skis or snowboards.
Thus, an anti-theft system for skis that does not rely on batteries and permits the skis to be identified and tracked even after they have stolen, is desirable.